Foot surgery helps patient enjoy walking again

When 78-year-old Temple Riddle was in a car accident in August 2017, her life forever changed.

With multiple injuries, doctors spent weeks and months addressing each one. But a foot injury continued to plague her to the point, “I felt like I’d never be able to walk again,” Temple said.

During the accident, Temple had braced her feet against the passenger side floor board causing an ankle injury and a neuroma, which is a painful growth of nerve tissue in the foot.

After suffering for a long time, and trying other treatment plans like physical therapy and injections in her foot, Temple turned to Dr. Robert Grunfeld, who specializes in treating foot and ankle injuries.

While Dr. Grunfeld said he’s not quick to recommend surgery, in Temple’s situation—where she had tried several other options and nothing was working—surgery just made sense.

“Whenever you look at a patient whose pain has gone on for many months, they often benefit from surgery,” Dr. Grunfeld said.

Temple didn’t hesitate to schedule surgery when Dr. Grunfeld told her he could most likely alleviate her pain.

On December 11, 2018, she underwent surgery to remove the neuroma that Dr. Grunfeld told her was one of the biggest he’d ever removed. At the same time, he did an ankle arthroscopy to clean up damaged tissue.

“As soon as we got the surgery done, at the next follow-up appointment she was already doing better,” Dr. Grunfeld said. “That’s the best outcome for the patient and the surgeon.”

After recovery and physical therapy, Temple was released to normal activities in March.

“I didn’t think I’d ever be the same,” Temple said. “I’m now walking without pain.”

Temple is slowly getting back to regular activities. She can’t say enough positive things about her experience with Dr. Grunfeld.

“Dr. Grunfeld was so good,” Temple said. “He listens. He cares. The man has been wonderful.”

On a recent visit to Perkins to catch up with friends, Temple said the conversation centered around surgeries and all the positive experiences everyone had with Dr. Grunfeld.

“He’s just a lovely man,” Temple said. “Everybody you talk to loves the guy and trusts him. I would hope anybody who has trouble with their feet or ankles would to go to him.”

Article written by Kim Phagan-Hansel, Wyoming freelance writer